Biography

NoteCARDS:

• Appeared in one game as a rookie before a biceps injury suffered in Week 3 at New Orleans landed him on injured reserve (9/25).

• The Cardinals took Okafor (4th round, 103rd overall) in the exact spot where they drafted his former teammate, Sam Acho, in the 2011 NFL Draft. Okafor and Acho had very similar careers at Texas, starting out at defensive tackles before finishing their careers as defensive ends. Acho’s 23.5 career sacks rank 10th in Texas history while Okafor’s 23.0 sacks rank 11th all-time.

NoteCARDS:

• Appeared in one game as a rookie before a biceps injury suffered in Week 3 at New Orleans landed him on injured reserve (9/25).

• The Cardinals took Okafor (4th round, 103rd overall) in the exact spot where they drafted his former teammate, Sam Acho, in the 2011 NFL Draft. Okafor and Acho had very similar careers at Texas, starting out at defensive tackles before finishing their careers as defensive ends. Acho’s 23.5 career sacks rank 10th in Texas history while Okafor’s 23.0 sacks rank 11th all-time.

Pro Career: The Cardinals first selection of the fourth round (103rd overall) in the 2013 NFL Draft, Okafor appeared in one game as a rookie before suffering a biceps injury that landed him on IR (9/25).

2013: Played in one game and had one special teams tackle before suffering a season-ending biceps injury … inactive @ StL (9/8) and vs. Det (9/15) … made his NFL debut and had one special teams tackle @ NO (9/22) … placed on injured reserve (biceps) on 9/25.

College: In four seasons at Texas, Okafor started 33 of the 52 games he appeared in and recorded 150 tackles, 23.0 sacks, 34 tackles for loss, seven forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, four passes defensed and a blocked kick … a unanimous All-Big 12 first-team selection as a senior in 2012, Okafor started 12 of the 13 games he played in at strong-side DE … shared the team's Clyde Littlefield Most Spirited Defensive Player Award with Desmond Jackson and Kenny Vaccaro, and he also shared the team's Joseph W. Moore Tenacity Award for Defense and Team Captain Award with Kenny Vaccaro ... earned the Roy Williams-Joe Jamail Leadership Award and was named third-team All-American by the NFL Draft Report … led the league and tied for ninth in the nation with 12.5 sacks, as that total ranks seventh on the school season-record list and were the most sacks by a Longhorn since Tony Degrate posted 13 sacks in 1984 … ranked second in the Big 12 with a career-high 16.5 tackles for loss, helping the team average 7.7 tackles behind the line of scrimmage per game, the best figure in the Big 12 and sixth-best in the nation … posted nine QB pressures and forced four fumbles, becoming one of just four FBS performers to record at least four forced fumbles and 12.0 sacks in 2012 … also added a pass defensed and blocked a punt vs. West Virginia … had a dominant performance in the Alamo Bowl win over Oregon State, as he earned Defensive MVP honors after registering eight tackles, including career highs in tackles for loss (6) and sacks (4.5); his sack total set an Alamo Bowl game record (former mark: 3.5 by Purdue's Chike Okeafor in 1998) and ranks second on the school's all-time single-game list (5.0 by Shane Dronnet vs. Texas Tech in 1990) … a unanimous first-team All-Big 12 Conference selection as a junior in 2011, Okafor was also on the Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award watch list after starting all 13 games at strong-side DE … an All-American first-team selection by the American Football Coaches Association and third-team selection from The NFL Draft Report, recorded 50 tackles and tied for seventh in the conference with seven sacks … added 12.5 tackles for loss and was credited with 11 QB pressures, as he forced two fumbles, recovered another and deflected three passes … as a sophomore in 2010, appeared in all 12 games on the defensive line, including eight starts at DT, and on special teams ... helped Texas rank sixth in the nation in total defense (300.2 ypg) and pass defense (161.6 ypg) ... posted 30 tackles (14 solo), 2.5 sacks, four tackles for loss, 13 QB pressures and one forced fumble … as a freshman in 2009, appeared in 14 games at DE and on special teams and was named to the All-Big 12 freshman team by The Sporting News ... posted 22 tackles, two tackles for loss, a forced fumble and six QB pressures.

Personal: One of the most highly decorated prep football players in the country while at Pflugerville (TX) High School, Okafor was a prep All-American and two-time All-State performer at DE ... tabbed a 2008 Parade All-American, second-team All-USA selection by USA Today and a second-team EA Sports All-American ... started in the 2009 U.S. Army All-American Bowl ... participated in the inaugural Hawaii Prep Football Classic ... three-year starter and letterman at DE and a two-time letterman in basketball ... rated as the nation's top DE after totaling 131 tackles and 20.0 sacks in his final two seasons ... first-team 5A All-State selection by the Associated Press and the Texas Sports Writers Association as a senior after totaling 59 tackles, 12.0 sacks, 17 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and a blocked punt ... tabbed honorable mention 5A All-State by the TSWA as a junior when he helped lead Pflugerville to a 13-4 record and a berth in the 5A Div. II State Championship ... notched 72 tackles and eight sacks ... two-time academic all-district selection … earned a degree in Corporate Communications.